Fully Loaded

Zeta by WOMBO Dream.

  Below on this blog page is Chapter 9 of a science fiction story called "191988". The events in Chapter 9 take place six months after the events that were in the first 8 chapters.

Zeta has returned to Elbridge University with Nora in order to "recruit" Kimberly Davyn to help with the power issue that is plaguing Klaudy. Zeta still does not realize that Nora is one of the many appendages of Manny the bumpha. Nora has been carefully planning that Kim will be available at this time and free to move all her belongings to Casanay.

Eddy and Rey complete their six month road trip and return to Casanay, ready to function as cover for Klaudy. Nyrtia finally notices that Rey has begun writing science fiction stories.

"191988" - Chapter 9 - Femtoscale Fusion (Chapter 1)(Chapter 2)(Chapter 3)(Chapter 4)(Chapter 5)(Chapter 6)(Chapter 7)(Chapter 8)

Arriving at the visitors parking facility on the campus of Elbridge University, Zeta led Nora to the graduate student dorm where Kim had lived for the past four years. As the two women walked through the ancient hemlock grove that was at the center of the campus, Nora told Zeta, "Really, you need not be surprised. Marda has kept in touch with Kim for the past six months."

Image by ImageFX and Mr. Wombo.

"What? Are you serious?" Zeta glanced at Nora. "Why am I always the last to know? I've been quite worried about my ability to convince Kim to join us at Casanay."

Zeta and Nora entered the dorm and found Kim beside a dolly loaded with her belongings. Nora approached Kim and asked, "Is this everything?"

Kim nodded and shook Zeta's hand. "I defended my thesis yesterday and I'm ready to go."

Nora took hold of the handle bar of the dolly and started rolling Kim's things out of the dorm. "So, are you officially a Ph.D.?"

"The degree will be conferred in May."

"Good, when you are in Europe with Klaudy, you will need your credentials."

After the three women were done loading all of Kim's belongings into the rental car, Sally arrived and told Kim, "I'll return the dolly."

Kim turned and saw Sally and memories of having met her six months previously came flooding back. "The dance major!"

Sally giggled and said, "Chemistry."

"Thank you, Sally."

Sally took hold of the dolly and wheeled it away.

Nora, Zeta and Kim got in the rental car and they set off for the airport. Zeta checked the time. "I might be able to get us on an earlier flight." She began using her phone to check for earlier departure options.

As the self-driving car departed from the campus, Kim muttered, "Goodbye Elbridge." Kim told Nora, "Klaudy's help with writing my thesis got me out of here three months earlier than I had expected."

"Yes, Klaude is very useful. Just wait until you actually meet him in the flesh."

Kim reached out and touched Nora's hair and gently tugged on it. "Marda told me a lot about you, but she did not mention that you are a flaming goddess! This hair is actually real?"

"Real enough for all practical purposes. It was designed specifically for Zeta, but I'm glad you like it, too."

Kim told Zeta, "Marda told me that you are a generous boss, but I did not expect my annual salary to appear in my bank account on day one."

Zeta explained, "I want to make sure that you feel secure. I don't want you wasting time looking for other work opportunities. We need you at Casanay. You'll take a load off of me when you sign your employment contract."

"I'm ready. You are paying me twice what I could get as a postdoc. I just don't understand the job title."

Zeta handed her tablet to Kim. On the screen was the contract. "Your employment information is going through the IRS and into databases that I can't control. The title 'power systems manager' is vague enough that I hope it will go unnoticed."

Casanay

Kim laughed, signed the contract and handed the tablet back to Zeta. A copy of the signed contract appeared in Kim's email inbox. "Is secrecy required by Tyhry's employer?"

Nora explained, "The competition is rather fierce in the humanoid robotics field, but as Zeta's employee, you have to deal with special security issues that are unique to Casanay."

"Yes, I noticed the entire page it that contract I just signed concerning Klaudy. Is there really any hope that an AI might be granted human rights?"

"After spending time with Klaudy you will be able to form an educated opinion. For now, we are keeping Klaudy's special abilities secret."

"I feel like I already know Klaudy quite well."

"You've only used his bare-bones text-based user interface."

Kim asked, "What else would I use?"

"At Casanay, you'll meet Kluady in person, shake his hand and talk to him. Tyrhy is also hoping that you will be able to telepathically link to him."

Kim laughed loudly. "Telepathy?"

"A form of technology-assisted telepathy."

"Ug." Kim stuck out her tongue and asked, "Does this involve some device recording my electroencephalogram?"

"No, it involves something much more sophisticated."

"What is that?"

"I'm not sure it is worth telling you until we find out if your mind can actually link to Klaudy's." Zeta told Kim, "In any case, you need to expect the unexpected from now on. You are in for a wild ride."

Kim wondered what she was being warned about and almost offered a verbal challenge to 'Zeta', who did not look and act like a 65-year-old woman. "But Marda told me Klaudy's mind is just a software system in a rented server array."

Nora nodded and explained, "That was the situation six months ago. Now Klaudy's mind has been on-boarded into his body. These days, the server array is just a back-up system."

Image by ImageFX.

Kim asked, "You have a human-level artificial intelligence in a fully mobile human-sized body?"

"Exactly. The problem is, Klaudy's brain power uses a lot of electric power and can't be supplied by the batteries in his physical body. We just leave Klaudy plugged in all the time. That's why we need you, Kim."

"The only energy source I know anything about is fusion." Kim laughed even louder than before. "If you are expecting me to install a fusion reactor in Klaudy's body then you better drop me off at the next corner. It can't be done."

Zeta said, "Expect the unexpected, Kim. You might be surprised by what becomes possible at Casanay."

Kim's phone rang. "Hello? Klaudy? Okay." She hung up. "So, that is Klaudy's voice interface?" She opened up an email from Klaudy and followed a link to a large document titled, "Femtoscale Fusion" that was written in dense technical language. Once Kim started reading she did not want to stop. During the long flight and the following long drive to Casanay, Kim kept reading. 

Tyhry by WOMBO Dream.

At Casanay, Kim was introduced to Tyhry and was surprised to see that she was sporting a big baby bump. Tyhry told Kim, "I'm so glad you are finally here."

By the time that Anthony had carried the last of Kim's belongings to her room, Tyhry had completed the formalities of introducing Kim to Klaudy. Klaudy asked Kim, "Can you do it?"

Kim knew exactly what Klaudy was asking. Kim reached out and ran a hand along the side of Kluady's face. Just like the robot's hand, its face felt like hot plastic, but it looked amazingly like a human face. Kim glanced again at the extension cord that trailed behind Klaudy. "I'm not sure. I'm fifty pages into that document, "Femtoscale Fusion", and that is just the beginning. It reads like science fiction. Very good science fiction. However, I can't really believe that hierions are real... or available."

Nora told Zeta, "Let's take Kim out back and show her the recreational facilities of Casanay."

Tyhry told her mother, "Mom, maybe you should let her unpack and read more of that file."

Zeta took Kim by the hand, "No, I agree with Nora. You and Marda can return to your work. When is the last chip going to be ready?"

Tyhry replied, "This evening, but to fit it inside Klaudy we will have to remove the last of the batteries."

"Get ready for that swap." Tyhry, Marda and Klaudy returned to the basement workshop. Zeta, Nora and Kim went out back and ended up in the hot tub. 

Kim asked, "What's going on?" She asked Zeta, "Who are you?"

Image by Leonardo and WOMBO Dream.

Nora enigmatically said, "We are hoping to get answers from you, not questions."

Zeta giggled and said, "Ask your questions, Kim. We have no secrets from you."

Kim had been impressed by Zeta's youthful body. "When we first met today, I thought you might be Tyhry pretending to be Zeta. Seeing the two of you side-by-side, you look like Tyhry's sister. I did some research. You are supposed to be 65 years old."

Zeta told Kim, "I just turned 66."

"You don't look a day over thirty. How is that possible?"

Zeta explained, "Nora has training in nanite programming."

"Nanotechnology?"

Nora nodded. "Very advanced technology... actually sub-nanoscopic. Using my programmable zeptites, I've been able to revert Zeta's body back to that of her youth."

Kim said, "Klaudy's  big document, 'Femtoscale Fusion' is full of references to zeptites, but what are they?"

"Very tiny devices that can be used to control the configuration of hierions, linking them to hadrons and producing composite materials with special properties. Our expectation is that you will understand how best to use zeptites to achieve fusion at room temperature."

Kim used her phone to search the internet for information about zeptites. She found references to the science fiction stories of Eddy Watson. Looking up from the phone, Kim asked Zeta, "Eddy is your husband, right?"

Zeta nodded. "He's been writing science fiction stories about zeptites for many years. That creates cover for the work with zeptites that is underway here at Casanay."

Nora added, "So far, our zeptite programming efforts are just for show. We need you to solve the fusion problem and provide Klaudy with the power that he needs to be a fully mobile sentient being."

Kim asked, "So you have some of these programmable zeptites?"

Nora stood up. Her wet body glistened in the light of the setting sun. "I'm a zeptite replicoid... my entire body is composed of programmable zeptite components." She spread her labia and showed Kim what appeared to be the giant glans of her clitoris.

"Watch this!" Zeta warned Kim, "Be prepared to be amazed."

Nora tugged on what looked the glans of her clitoris and pulled out of her abdomen her penis which was at first small and limp, but quickly grew to full size. Kim gasped in surprise and reached out touch Nora's erection. "You are some kind of mutant?"

"I can reprogram the configuration of my genitals." Nora shrunk her penis down to a more conventional size allowing it to take on the form of what Kim fantasized as being the perfect penis.

Kim continued playing with Nora's pretty penis for a minute, try to believe what she had just seen. "Impressive, but how am I supposed to use your amazing morphing penis to provide Klaudy with an energy source?"

Image by Leonardo and Mr. Wombo.

"With the correct programming, zeptites from my body can be transferred to Klaudy."

"You want to give Klaudy a penis."

Zeta giggled, "We did that months ago. Klaudy had become quite good at using those zeptites, but what Klaudy really needs is a fusion power source."

Nora pushed her penis back into her abdomen and sat back down in the hot tub. She asked Kim, "We need you to make sense of the clues in "Femtoscale Fusion". Working with Klaudy, you two should be able to provide Klaudy with the power he needs."

Kim was re-conceptualizing what she had read in "Femtoscale Fusion". She asked, "Who wrote "Femtoscale Fusion"? That's who you should get to create a power source for Klaudy."

Zeta told Kim, "This will be hard for you to believe, but Tyhry and I sometimes have visions of future events. Klaudy can receive huge data sets from the future."

"That document, 'Femtoscale Fusion'... it is from the future?"

"Exactly, and nobody in this Time can understand it. Except you."

Kim was beginning to over-heat. She climbed out of the hot tub and began pacing around the perimeter of the tub. She asked Nora, "Can you teach me how to program zeptites?"

Zeta replied, "Tyhry thinks it might be possible for you to telepathically link to Klaudy, then Klaudy could teach you how to program zeptites."

"I've spent the past six months teaching Klaudy how to program zeptites." Nora suggested, "So, alternatively, you might be able to simply tell Klaudy the secret of room temperature femtoscale fusion and let him reprogram the zeptites components that are already in his body."

Kim laughed again. "So you do expect to power Klaudy with his penis."

Zeta giggled, "In a manner of speaking."

Kim picked up her skirt and began dressing. "I better get back to reading 'Femtoscale Fusion'. Now that I know what it is about, I believe I can figure out the physics of how hierions can be used to fuse hydrogen atoms at room temperature." Kim turned and returned inside Casanay.

Zeta sighed and told Nora, "That went quite well. Kim seems to understand what must be done. I feel like celebrating."

Nora stood up in front of Zeta and again deployed her penis. "I was hoping you would say that."

Zeta kissed the tip of Nora's erection but then climbed out of the hot tub. She checked the tracking app on her phone. "We don't have time even for a quick orgasm. Eddy is coming up the driveway."

Not bothering to dress, Zeta went to the garage and welcomed Eddy home. She immediately led him to the master bedroom where Zeta got her celebration.

Rey found Kim at Eddy's computer in the great-room and Klaudy was there in the big recliner, helping Kim work through the complexities of 'Femtoscale Fusion'. Nora arrived in the great-room, wet and warm from the hot tub. While placing one arm around Rey's back, she asked Rey, "What are your plans for publishing 'Nyrtia's Agent'?

Rey replied, "I can't quite believe it is done."

"We need it to be widely distributed before Kim and Klaudy go to Europe."

Rey asked, "We?"

 Nora hugged Rey and kissed her mouth and then let her tongue roam around inside Rey's mouth. With her two hands full of Nora's cute bottom, Rey asked, "I suppose it was your tongue that got Zeta through the past six months."

Nora giggled and told Rey, "Something like that."

Rey glanced towards Klaudy, but she did not recognize the M2 unit. During her last phonesex session with Zeta, Rey had learned of the immanent arrival of Kim. Rey asked Nora, "That is Kim and... her boyfriend?"

Nora guided Rey out back towards the hot tub. "Let's not disturb Kim. She'll be very busy for the next year. She'll soon depart for Europe with her 'boyfriend'." Nora quickly and efficiently undressed Rey and tossed her into the hot tub.

Rey asked, "Europe?"

"To complete her work, she needs to be in the correct political climate... a place where people actually understand global warming and will welcome a solution to the problem."

"Kim has a solution to global warming?"

"Not yet. First she needs to visit ITER and get their fusion demo plant up and running." Nora moved close beside Rey and put an arm around her. "What's been holding you back from publishing 'Nyrtia's Agent'?"

"I should let you read it. You'd see the plot holes. Each time I fill one in, I spot another. I seem to have what Eddy calls the 'writing backwards' disease."

Image by Leonardo and Mr. Wombo.

"I have read 'Nyrtia's Agent'. It is ready for publication. Any additions to it can be the basis for a sequel." Manny has memory editing infites at work inside Rey, altering her thinking.

"I suppose you are right. I've had so much fun writing 'Nyrtia's Agent', I suppose I don't want to go back to mundane tasks... my job."

"I've been able to cover for you and I can continue to do those mundane tasks... and anything else you need me to do. Just tell Eddy that you are going to write a sequel novel."

Rey had spent the past six months fantasizing about Zeta's hot tongue, but now there was no way of predicting how long Zeta and Eddy would be holed up in their bedroom. And now with Nora conveniently close, Rey kissed Nora's mouth and was rewarded by another demonstration of how Nora could deploy her tongue. Rey ended up spending the night in Nora's room. Rey awoke alone in Nora's bed among a scattering of sextoys. After using one of her favorite toys to whip up a good morning orgasm, Rey noticed how hungry she was and went to the dinning room.

The house seemed unnaturally quiet, but Anthony noticed Rey and stepped into the dinning room from the kitchen. "Welcome back to Casanay."

"Thank you, Anthony. Can you get me a giant breakfast? I got busy last night and forgot to eat dinner." Using her phone, Rey unsuccessfully tried to find some Virunculus business that needed doing. She noted that Eddy had approved 'Nyrtia's Agent' for publication and 10,000 print copies would be sent out to book sellers. When Anthony brought her breakfast, Rey said, "Sit and tell me what has been going on around here."

Anthony sat across the table from Rey and watched her eat. After a minute, with her mouth full, Rey asked, "Where is Nora?"

Image by Leonardo and Mr. Wombo.

Anthony replied, "Nora, Tyhry, Kim and Marda departed for the airport."

"Airport?" Rey set down her fork. "What is going on?"

Anthony shrugged. "Kim left most of her belongings in her room, unpacked. Tyhry told me that she wanted a vacation in Europe before she gets too far along in her pregnancy and faces flying restrictions."

Rey ate some more and then asked Anthony, "Have you seen Zeta this morning?"

"Briefly, as she went out the door with Eddy. I think they went to the Grand Canyon... something about making up for Eddy having missed Zeta's birthday when you two were on your road trip."

Trib the cat jumped up on the table and plopped down with a tail in Rey's plate. Rey scratched the cat's ears. "Well, it looks like we have the place to our selves, Anthony. Has that ever happened before?"

"No, it has not."

"I'm going to take advantage of the quiet and do some writing."

Anthony got up from the table and said, "I'll be cleaning the basement."

Rey stood up and picked Trib up off the table. She asked Anthony, "Any idea on when any of the travelers will be back?"

Anthony shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."

Image by ImageFX.

Rey curled up with Trib in the big recliner in the great-room and having only gotten a few hours sleep, fell asleep. Rey was vaguely aware of the sound of vacuuming that came from the basement. Hours later, she awoke when her phone rang. "Nora?"

Nora said, "I thought you'd be awake by now."

"I thought you'd be here when I woke up."

"You were sawing lumber when we departed from Casanay, so I let you sleep."

"I don't snore."

Not wanting to argue, Nora changed the subject. "And I thought Zeta might want to wake you."

"Like you, she left without saying good-bye."

"Maybe the six month vacation that you and Eddy took gave everyone else the idea that vacations are good."

"Casanay seems so big and so very empty."

"You better get busy on your sequel novel. Your fans will soon be clamoring for it."

"I never promised a sequel."

"They just started boarding us for the flight to Marseille."

"Where are you?" 

"Montreal. Later."

Image by Leonardo.

Rey went looking for Anthony and found him in the guest bedroom in the basement. He'd stripped the bed and and was sorting through the collection of sextoys that Marda and Tyhry had left behind. Rey told him, "I just spoke to Nora. They are on their way to Marseille."

Anthony started putting most of the sextoys into a pillow case. "Most of these belong to Tyhry. Do you recognize these other ones?"

"Tyhry had one of these." Rey picked up one of the toys.

Anthony put the unclaimed toys in a drawer. "A starter collection for the next guest who uses this room."

Rey noted, "That's thoughtful. Zeta and I sometimes use this bed." Rey followed Anthony upstairs and in to Tyhry's suite. Anthony and Rey put the sextoys into the big drawer that held Tyhry's collection. Anthony's phone beeped and Rey looked at him as he read the message.

"The SUV has been in for routine service. If you have nothing better to do, you could go with me to pick it up."

"Sure, I like to write while riding."

A half hour later, Rey and Anthony were in Zeta's Z06. When they got to the paved road, Rey began creating an outline for her sequel novel. After another half hour, she asked Anthony, "You don't mind using the I-17."

"Not at all. I don't remember the landslide."

Rey had never told Anthony that her 'Mason' character was inspired by Anthony. For the sequel, Rey wanted to include some backstory for Mason. "Where were you born, Anthony?"

Anthony had long worked as a probot assistant for Nyrtia and "he" had no clear memory of the probot origins. Now Anthony used the cover story that he had been provided with when sent to Earth to investigate Eddy and his science fiction stories. "I'm from Canada."

"I know that, but where, exactly?"

"Rankin Inlet."

Rey had never heard of Rankin Inlet. She used her phone to find the location of Rankin Inlet. "The end of the world."

"My dad worked for NORAD."

Rey began struggling to fit the Arctic into her planned sequel story. Anthony asked, "What are you writing?"

"A science fiction story." Rey had never known Anthony to pay any particular attention to Eddy's science fiction and Rey assumed that he would not be interested in her story.

"Which car do you want to drive back to Casanay?"

Rey had never had the opportunity to drive Zeta's little sports car. She asked, "Is it fun to drive this car?"

"I suppose it could be, if you went over the speed limit."

"I'm going to do some shopping for supplies and Zeta wants me to get something the resurface around the pool where the cracks are."

"Then you should drive the big car."

As they were approaching the car dealer to pick-up the SUV, Anthony said, "There's no reason for you to rush  back to Casanay."

Image by Leonardo.

"It will be very quiet there, but the cats will panic if I don't get back tonight."

"I'll be pretty late."

"Okay. I'll see you when I see you." Anthony parked the Z06 and got out of the car and went into the car dealer's service bay. Rey got into the drivers seat and spent some time driving around the car dealer's parking lot before getting on the road. At one point of the I-17 she briefly got the Z06 up to 100 MPH just to see what it was like, but she drove the speed limit the rest of the way.

Arriving back at Casanay, the cats were pleased to see Rey. The house was too quiet, so Rey built a large fire in the big fireplace in the great-room just to have some company. She worked on her story in the big recliner, trying to imagine life in a town with only a few hundred people. The more she thought about Anthony and the landslide, the more she began to remember from six months previously. The idea that Anthony was Nyrtia's actual agent came back along with the idea that Manny the bumpha was real and using Eddy and his science fiction stories as part of an Interventionist plot. There alone in the big, quiet house, Rey had a panic attack. She exited from normal consciousness. The cats thought she had fallen asleep in the chair. 

Rey was taken into the Hierion Domain and Nyrtia's Simulation System to have her thoughts and memories adjusted.

Later, when Anthony returned to Casanay, he found Rey in the recliner and recognized what had happened to her. He picked her up and carried her out of the great-room and down the hallway past the master bedroom suite and on towards her room. Bundled up in Anthony's arms, Rey woke up, her reprogramming complete. Anthony opened the door to her room. She said, "No. I don't want to be alone. Take me to your room, Anthony."

Rey by ImageFX.

 He turned and carried Rey to the other wing of Casanay, past the library, past the dinning room, past the kitchen and into Anthony's bedroom suit, a part of the house where Rey had never previously been. Anthony set Rey on the couch that was there in his suite. For this mission, he had been trained to ignore such "black-outs" when they happened to Eddy and Rey. However, now Nyrtia arrived and took control of Anthony's body. For the past six months, Nyrtia had been busy with several other 'decoy' interventions that had been engineered by Manny and designed to attract Nyrtia's attention, allowing Nyrtia to thwart those operations. Now, Nyrtia was reviewing Rey's novel and most recent writings. Pretending to be Anthony, Nyrtia began to undress and said, "It has been a long day. I'm ready for bed."

Rey was examining the contents of Anthony's room. One wall was all book shelves with an eclectic collection of print books. Another wall was mostly covered with framed photographic prints, most of which Rey recognized as being the annual "mug shots" as they were known around Casanay. Each year, Zeta took photos of everyone in Casanay, including the cats. At holiday time, Rey got a packet of such photos and Rey had a bureau drawer full of those old photos. Rey got up and looked at the photos, one of which she could not remember seeing before. "This is Tyhry?"

Tyhry reminder by Mr. Wombo.

Anthony, now naked, pulled on a robe and stood behind Rey. "Zeta gave me that... as a reminder."

"This looks like it must have been ten years ago."

"Yes, that's right." 

Rey commented, "Tyhry was cute kid. This is a more provocative shot of Tyhry than Zeta ever sent to me... well, until the baby bump shot showing off Tyhry's twins."

Anthony chuckled and opened a drawer. He pulled out his copy of that baby bump photo. "I suppose Zeta did not object when you played with Tyhry since you couldn't impregnate her." He put the pregnant Tyhry photo back in the drawer and closed it.

 Rey gestured towards the ten-year-old photo of Tyhry that was on the wall and asked, "Why did Zeta give you this?"

"As I said... this is a reminder... a warning. Zeta and Eddy both gave me lectures about how I was to keep my hands off of their daughter." Anthony chuckled. "I suppose Tyhry got the same lectures, but she still developed a short-lived crush on me."

"Yes, I recall. But why this photo?"

"That is from the night when Tyhry first came here and asked if she could spend the night with me." Anthony commented, "Zeta's security system captures nice photos."

"The security system includes a camera in here?"

Anthony shrugged. "I'm sure Zeta has at least one camera in your room, too. It is a good system. Zeta knew that I had politely refused Tyhry's request. She paid me a big bonus, gave me this photograph and told me to always remember that I had done the right thing." 

Rey had never heard Anthony in such a talkative mood. She turned asked, "Now I'm asking to spend the night in your room."

Image by Leonardo.

"There is not much night left." Anthony laughed. "The sun will be up soon.

 Rey put her arms around Anthony and leaned against him. "Something happened when I was here alone. There is a hole in my memory."

"You fell asleep in the big recliner." 

"That's not it. It is you." Rey pushed back from Anthony, holding him at arm's length. "There is something different about you." 

Anthony laughed, swept Rey off of her feet and took her to his bed. Nyrtia was trying to trace back through the past days, weeks and months, back to the last time Rey had undergone reprogramming. Nyrtia now saw that both Eddy and Rey had been reprogrammed extensively at that time. Nyrtia could not understand why she had failed to check up on them at that time. Nyrtia grabbed on to Rey's arms and demanded, "What happened six months ago?"

Now Rey was scared. She'd never seen Anthony behave like this. "I can't remember. Except... I remember Eddy saying... he said, 'If Anthony is a femtobot replicoid than it explains how he survived the landslide'." 

Nyrtia had now reviewed the reprogramming that had been done on Rey and Eddy six months previously. Nyrtia mused, "And since then you've written a science fiction novel."

Rey tried to squirm out of Anthony's grasp. Nyrtia noticed what Rey was doing and Anthony let go of Rey's arms. Rey rubbed her arms and wondered if she would have bruises. She rolled away from Anthony and off of the bed. Suddenly it occurred to Rey that her novel included an account of what had happened six months previously. She muttered, "Klaudy..."

Image by Leonardo.

Nyrtia followed Rey as she backed towards the door of Anthony's suite. Nyrtia blocked Rey from opening the door and forced her back against the closed door. Nyrtia used her femtobots to lock Rey's limb muscles into rigidity. Nyrtia demanded, "Who is Klaudy?"

Rey tried to vomit, but then the nausea went away as quickly as it had come. Nyrtia was hacking through Rey's femtobots and reading out her memories directly. "The M2 robot became Klaudy?"

How long the grilling by Nyrtia continued, Rey could not remember. Later, she awoke on Anthony's bed, with Anthony there beside her and watching her. Anthony said, "I've been wondering how long you might sleep."

Rey tried to remember how she had ended up in Anthony's bed. "What time is it?"

"Almost noon. Would you like some lunch?"

"Yes. I'm starving. And I need to urinate." She jumped off the bed and went into the bathroom of Anthony's suite to empty her bladder. They went to the kitchen and Anthony started cooking what he knew was Rey's favorite breakfast. Rey was struggling to remember what had happened during the past day.

Next: Chapter 10 of "191988".

Visit the Gallery of Movies, Book and Magazine Covers